Extensible supporting device



March 27, 1962 E. v. SMALL ETAL EXTENSIBLE SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed Aug.13, 1959 l nite tt 3,027,091 EXTENSIBLE SUPPORTING DEVICE Eugene VincentSmall, 29760Hoy Road, Livonia, Mich., and Thomas I. Keim, 14530Woodmont, Detroit, Mich. Filed Aug. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 833,609' 2Claims. (Cl. 23S-134) This invention relates to supporting devices` forheavy articles such as refrigerators, stoves andthe like and,` inparticular, to extensible supporting devices for such articles.

One object of this invention isy to provide an extensible supportingdevice which enables the moving of a heavy article, such asrefrigerator, from its usual position, for repairing or cleaningpurposes, yet which will not scar the iioor or floor covering, such aslinoleum.

Another object is to provide an extensible supporting device of theforegoing` character having parallel telescoping extensible track unitsengaged by rollers mounted on the article, thereby insuring constantalignment of the extension tracks with the main tracks and avoiding theuse of swinging extension tracks which scar the oor covering in swingingbetween their extended and retracted positions.

Another object is to provide an extensible supporting device havingtubular telescoping tracks possessing a maximum structural strengthcapable of supporting heavier articles than it is practical to supportby means of angle tracks or channel tracks, the main or outer tubulartrack also serving as a dust-excluding housing which also conceals theextension track telescoping therewith when retracted therein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description of the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIGURE l is a side elevation of an extensible articlesupporting deviceaccording to one form of the invention, with the tubular telescopingtracks in their extended positions but with the supported article in itsretracted position shown in solid lines and its extended position shownin dotted lines;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical section through the extensible article supportingdevice of FIGURE 1, taken along the line 2-2 in FIGURE 3, upon anenlarged scale with the tracks in their retracted positions and With themiddle portion omitted to conserve space;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-section taken along the zigzag line 3 3 in FIGURE 2;and

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section taken along the line 4-4 in FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail, FIGURE 1 shows an extensiblearticle-supporting device, generally designated 10, for a heavy article12, such as a refrigerator, stove or the like, adapted to rest upon afloor 14 against a building wall 16. The article 12 is conventional andits details are beyond the scope of the present invention. It is,however, provided with a bottom 18 upon which are mounted two pairs offorward and rearward roller units 20 and 22 respectively, only one pairbeing shown. Thus, the roller units 20 and 22 are mounted approximatelyat the four corners of the bottom 18 of the article 12 so as todistribute the weight thereof over the extensible supporting device. Theroller units 20 and 22 of each pair form the upper parts of a pair ofextensible article-supporting units, generally designated 24 (FIGURE 3),each unit 24 including a telescoping extensible track assembly,generally designated 26.

Each telescoping track assembly 26 in turn includes an outer or maintubular track, generally designated 28, and an inner tubular extensiontrack 30 telescoping therewith, both of the tracks 28 and 30 beingpreferably of square cross-section for maximum structural strength.

The outer tubular track is drilled at intervals and countersunk toreceive wood screws or other fasteners 32, reached through access holes33, by which it is secured to the lioor 14 (FIGURES 2 and 3). The outerand inner tubular tracks 28 and 30 are also provided with holes 34 and36 (FIGURE 3) adapted to be brought into alignment with one another andAreceive a detent pin 38 secured to the outer or free endof a leaf spring40, the inner end of which is drilled and secured as by a fastenery 42to the similarly drilled outer tubular track 28 (FIGURE 4). The innertubular track or extension track 30 is provided with a pair of suchholes 36 (FIGURE 2) adapted to register with the detent pin 38 of thedetent, generally designated 44, inboth the extended and retractedpositions ofthe tubular tracks.

The two outer tubular tracks or main tracks 28 are tiecltogether neartheir rearward` ends by a rearward tie bar 46 of angle cross-sectionwhich also serves as a rearward stop for the rearward roller units 22(FIG- URE 2). Similarly, the inner or extensible telescoping tubulartracks 30 are tied together by a forward tie bar 48 of anglecross-section which similarly also serves as a stop for the forwardroller units 20. The tie bars 46 and 48 are welded or otherwise securedto their respective tracks 28 and 30 and additionally serve not only tomaintain the article-supporting units 24 in spaced parallel relationshipbut also to enhance the rigidity of the structure formed thereby. Theforward tie bar 48 is optionally drilled to receive one or more pullrings or other handles 50 to facilitate extending the extension tracks30 as shown in FIGURE 1. Secured by welding to the bottoms of the inneror extension tracks 30 is a cross bar 51 which additionally aligns andsupports the forward ends of the extension tracks 30,

The forward and rearward roller units 20 and 22 are of similarconstruction, hence a single description will su'ice for both. Eachincludes an inverted channelshaped bracket 52, the web 54 of which issecured by suitable fasteners 56 to the bottom 18 of the article 12, andhas parallel side walls 58. The latter overlap the outer tracks 28 andare drilled in horizontal alignment to receive a retaining bolt 60 andnut 62. Rotatably mounted upon the axle bolt 60 is the combination outerrace and roller 64 (FIGURE 2) which is rollable along the top of theouter or main tubular track 28, and is in turn rollably supported bymultiple rollable elements 66, such as bearing balls, upon an inner race68. These collectively constitute an anti-friction bearing assembly,generally designated 70. The inner race 68 is drilled for the passage ofthe axle bolt 60, which in turn carries a pair of tubular spacingsleeves 72 (FIGURE 3) interposed between the anti-friction rollerassembly 70 and the bracket side walls 56.

In the operation of the invention let it be assumed that the outer ormain tubular tracks 28 have been secured by the fasteners 32 to thelloor 14 in the location which it is desired that the refrigerator orother article 28 shall normally occupy. Let it also be assumed that thetwo pairs of forward and rearward roller units 20 and 22 have beensecured by the fasteners 56 to the bottom 18 of the article 12 and thelatter, with the roller units 20 and 22 thus placed near its fourcorners, deposited upon the outer tracks 38 with the rearward rollerunit brackets 52 resting against the rearward angle tie bar 46 (FIGURE2). Let it finally be assumed that the inner or extensible tubular track30 is in its retracted and concealed position within the outer tubulartrack 28 (FIGURES 2 and 3) with its angle tie bar 48 engaging thebrackets 52 of the forward roller units 20, and with the cross bar 51resting upon the floor 14.

To move the refrigerator or other article 12 into the dotted lineposition shown in FIGURE l, the operator first grasps either the forwardtie bar 48 or pull ring or rings 50 thereon, and pulls the tubulartracks 28 from the telescoped or retracted positions of FIGURE 2 to theextended or advanced positions of FIGURE 1. The cross bar 51 movesforward with the tracks 30 and in its forward position distributes theweight at the forward ends of the extension tracks 30 over the floor 14on which it rests. The operator now pulls or pushes the appliance orother article 12 forward so that its roller assembly 72 of its rollerunits 20 and 22 roll forward off the main or outer tubular track 28 andonto the eXtension or inner tubular track 30 into the dotted lineposition shown in FIGURE 1. The space beneath the normal location of thearticle 12 may then be cleaned, or repairs made to the back of thearticle 12 in any suitable manner. When this has been done, the operatorpushes the article 12 from its dotted line position of FIGURE 1,rearwardly to its solid line position therein, causing the roller units22 and 24 to roll backward off the extension tracks 30 and onto the mainor outer tracks 2S. The operator then pushes the extension tracks 30back into their telcscoped or retracted positions of FIGURE 2 bygrasping the forward tie bar 48 or pull handles 50 and pushingrearwardly thereon.

What We claim is:

1. An extensible supporting device for a heavy article, comprising apair of tubular outer tracks disposed in laterally-spaced parallelrelationship and adapted to be secured to a supporting surface, a pairof tubular inner tracks disposed in telescoping relationship with saidouter tracks and in slidable relationship into and out of said outertracks, two pairs of forward and rearward roller units mounted forlongitudinal travel along said outer tracks and secured to said article,said roller units being rollable off said outer tracks onto said innertracks upon relatively sliding extension of said inner tracks outwardlyfrom said outer tracks, and tie means interconnecting each pair of saidtracks.

2. An extensible supporting device, according to claim 1, whereon saidtracks are of substantially rectangular cross-section and wherein saidroller units are adapted t0 roll on the tops of said tracks.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,724,834 Fox Aug. 13, 1929 2,009,113 Landis et al. July 23, 19352,019,949 Brace v..- Nov. 5, 1935 2,029,820 Harvey Feb. 4, 19362,129,539 Steenstrup Sept. 6, 1938 2,497,785 Melcher Feb. 14, 19502,876,952 Washabaugh Mar. l0, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 96,587 Austria Apr.10, 1924

